New Covid fears after school is forced to partially close its doors after surge in Pirola cases
A SECONDARY school has been forced to turn away three year groups due to a “rapid spike” in Covid cases.
Uppingham Community College in Rutland told parents in a letter yesterday that 13 teaching staff members were absent on Tuesday.
It means children in years 8 to 10 will be working from home between today and Friday.
Principal Ben Solly wrote: “We have covered all lessons so far, using our staff who are in school, along with some external supply teachers we have been able to secure.
“However, we have reached a point where it is becoming unsafe to have all year groups in school.”
He added that three more teachers would not be in school today, with leaders expecting “there to be more Covid cases confirmed overnight”.
Pupils in year 7 and 11 will be expected to attend school as normal.
Fears around the new Pirola Covid variant, or BA.2.86, have prompted ministers to bring forward this autumn’s vaccine rollout as they figure out how dangerous it really is.
It comes as UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data suggests cases of the bug have crept up to 54 as of September 18 – an increase of 12 in a week.
Of these cases, 10 have been hospitalised – though no deaths have yet been reported.
These figures likely underestimate the real situation, as the government spiked nationwide testing.
Millions have already had the bug with the Brits having a high level of protection due to the huge vaccine roll out.
What to do if you have Covid
The NHS advises people with symptoms try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms.
It says people should only return to normal activities when they feel better or do not have a high temperature.
If a child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare.
Although people are no longer required to do a Covid-19 rapid lateral flow test if you have symptoms, if someone tests positive they should stay home.
The NHS says those under 18 who test positive should stay home for for 3 days after the day the test was taken.
While those over 18 should stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days after taking the test.
What are the symptoms?
Although we don’t know what the Pirola symptoms are just yet, doctors have been reporting the Covid disease, in recent months, has been following a very distinctive pattern.
Dr Erick Eiting from Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York, US, told NBC news: “It isn’t the same typical symptoms that we were seeing before.
“It’s a lot of congestion, sometimes sneezing, usually a mild sore throat.”
First, the sore throat emerges followed by a stuffy nose, he explained.
UK doctors have noticed a similar pattern in symptoms.
In February 2021, GPs called for a runny nose and sore throat to be added to the UK’s official list of Covid symptoms.
The NHS website used to only list the three main symptoms of Covid are high temperature, a new and continuous cough, and a loss of taste and smell.
It eventually added upper respiratory tract symptoms, but they currently fall lower down the list.
Some materials say a runny or stuffy nose are considered ‘rare’, and a sore throat occurs only ‘sometimes’.
The Zoe COVID Symptom Study, which collects data on self-reported symptoms in the UK, said the five most common symptoms of Omicron are:
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Fatigue (mild or severe)
- Sneezing
- Sore throat